Empty
by Thessian Shadow
Summary: OMG can it be? Gabriel Logan in onve? With whom? Read to find out! Niculescu bashing inside!


_**Empty**_

_**A/N:** _This is another attempt at a Syphon Filter fic. This one's a little AU. I think a good bit about this, and I guess I just have to let this plot bonny do the rest.

Dim light filtered in through the office window against which a commander of a Government approved agency slept. His eyes were partially open, but if anyone even attempted to look into them, they would be swallowed by the same dark abyss that enveloped him several years ago. Gabriel Logan was a strong, well balanced, and secluded man who kept himself to himself. Anyone working under him either knew very little or nothing at all about anything he did or the reasons he had for doing it. Now, some early birds were filtering into the building after going throough security. He was forced from blissful nothingness by the opening of his door.

Teresa Lipan, his deputy chief of operations leaned against the door frame with a sad smile and a cup of coffee. "Did you pull an all-nighter again, Gabe?" His silence told the whole story. _That would have to be a yes…_ She crossed the large office and stood beside him. "Honestly, why do you do it? You haven't taken a vacation or even a day off since-"

"I know." His voice was thin due to lack of use over the past few weeks. "I just can't stop thinking that something could have been different."

"Like what?" She now sat opposite him after going back 'round the desk. "What do you want to be different?"

"The ending. How can a genetically adaptable virus just be quarantined in one area and under the control of just one man's organization? Mikhas Ivankov wasn't that smart. He got the idea from someone."

"Lian was right. You just can't let something like that go. I have to agree though, 'cause I know that Niculescu got the idea from Rhomer and that bunch. He was behind selling the viral canisters to any buyer across the market."

"Yeah. What a killing the IRA would have made after selling it to the other terrorists they're in league with. That would have blown MI6 away."

"Exactly. I think that's what they were wanting if and when that happened." Gabe considered that for a moment. It made sense. That still didn't explain **_her_** involvement in all this.

"What do you know of MI6's efforts to decontaminate the area where the north atlantic salvage rig was set up?"

"Maggie said that they were actually almost done. The radiation from the mini nukes dissipated, and now they're just fishing all the viral containers out of the area. Last count was about six thousand."

"The IRA really had plans, then." He leaned back and arched his back. The small crack was reassuring. "Was there any clue that Maggie was leaving MI6 as she suggested?

"She hasn't gotten back with us on that. Lian is still waiting on her response."

"Tell her not to hold her breath."

"I think I will. Lawrence just got these documents from the World Help Organization."

"Now what the hell does the WHO want with us? They started this mess by letting Phagan do everything he wanted." Teresa shook her head and left for her station. The day was just getting started, and already Gabriel wanted it to be over.

_I will not make the same mistakes that you did  
I will not let myself  
Cause my heart so much misery  
I will not break the way you did,  
You fell so hard  
I've learned the hard way  
To never let it get that far_

After the worst part of the morning, people started coming by Gabe's office to be given their usual assignments. Today turned out to be a day of paperwork. There wasn't much to do anymore since the bio threat was under control, and the war in Iraq was none of their concern. One man, a certain Gary Stoneman, brought that subject up.

"What I don't understand is why the president is okay with us goin' all over the world and all to get rid of some low-life bio-terrorists, but you don't think it's wise to get involved in this war on terror."

"I have my reasons as to why I don't want to get involved, but if you feel as though you should be there fighting for a country that really doesn't want us there anymore, then I won't stop you."

"What's gotten you so pissed at the world?" Gary was a Nam veteran, and it was a trial to watch these young men go off and get killed in almost the same situation he was in.

"The world hasn't been the kindest to me in all fourty-nine years I've lived in it. You might be more fortunate, but I just don't agree that we should be involved in foreign affairs unless they have a direct link to us."

Stone finally shrugged it off and left him alone to think. The handle of his gun finally found its way into his hand, and he was pointing it at random objects in his office when the sound of his desk phone nearly made him shoot it.

"Logan."

"Gabriel, it has been a long time, no? I have some interesting news that might just make you want to get out of that office of yours." The leader of the SVR, a Russian agency that was about the same as the one Gabriel commanded was sounding rather excited that there was news to be given. Other than the war, there was no use for the two agencies, and it was good to hear his voice again.

"Uri Gregorav, I have to say that you have impeccable timing. I'm bored out of my wits. What have you got?"

"Mara Aramov. She was sighted in Siberia."

"Really?" His voice held equal interest. "How long ago?"

"Only a few years ago. You know that she disappeared after the capture of Ivankov's base? Well, there are now rumors that she has been held at point thirty-six ever since."

"What about Guantanamo Bay?"

"We did some follow-up checks. They haven't seen her since she escaped or whatever else happened."

"She didn't escape. They stowed her there just so we couldn't track her. We didn't expect her to be locked up somewhere."

"I just thought I'd let you know about that. I must get some papers filed. If you wish, I could arrange a visitation."

"Uri, you read my mind. Make it tomorrow. Urgent."

"Of course. You have diplomatic status, so that shouldn't be a problem."

"Good, then make it so." The two men each hung up and went back to what they were doing. Gabriel rotated his .45 in his hands, and placed his hand into a vest pocket. There rested a note that he had never read.

_Gabriel,_

_Because of you, I never stay too far from the sidewalk. Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt. Because of you I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me .Because of you I am afraid. I don't know what to think of my actions or yours, and they are starting to worry me. Our relationship, though formally nonexistent shouldn't allow for this, but I just cannot see where this is leading. I do not hold a grudge, nor do I care what you do to me now. Just remember that it will always stick with you._

_-Mara_

The faded paper shook in his hands as he read it for the third time. The message was simple, but it held many possible meanings. _How does she mean this… What have I done to cause this? Was it something physical or possibly something emotional?_ He placed it in a drawer that usually remained locked, but he knew that even the fools who cleaned his office wouldn't dare try to look into that thing. Just thinking about her was enough to drive him mad. What she had done was uncalled for, but in a moment of humanity, she had revealed everything. He had seen her fears, her wants, her weaknesses, and most importantly, her will to change. Mara had traded off her would-be big pay off for the lives of her countrymen. Russia was her home, and to have that viciously pried from her hands was too much. She turned on Ivankov, and by doing so, she also turned away from Mihai Niculescu.

Gabriel remembered a time where she was not some assassain for hire. He had just run from his murderous father, and was working a strange job. When he was eighteen, Gabriel enlisted in the military, and was sent to Moscow Russia for special assignment. Tere, he meta woman two years his junior, and she had changed his views of the world. Gabe originally was one to think he would be alone in his life, but she had saved him from a local Russian mob that was against the United States' way of life. He came to find out that her father abused her while her mother neglected the fact. She had grown up living on the streets since thirteen. He thought back to the conversation they had shared after one instance when he had walked up the street and seen her being raped by her father in a secluded alley.

"_Are you alright?_

"_Do I look it?" Tears were running down her face, mixing with blood that slowly ran from her jaw from where her father had hooked her._

"_No… It was a stupid question. Why do you continue to take it?" She stared out at the place where her father was slowly and menacingly watching somewhere above them. "I have to. If I don't, what will I do? Where will I go?"_

"_Do you truly feel you belong in this society and wa of life? Can you stand seeing people constantly looking down upon you while your father basks in the limelight?"_

"_How would you know about what my life Is like? You are an American. Your lifestyle is a walk in the park compared to this."_

"_Your father uses you as an outlet for stress and anger, correct? Well, my father does the same thing. That is why I left home and had to start a life of my own."_

"_Bastards are all the same…" She fell against him as her strength vanished. Gabriel looked up into the sneering face of her father, and he saw no compassion, no understanding, no emotion at al. "I suppose you're right…_

He dropped the pistol and it hit the floor with a small thump. Thinking back on that situation, he realized how lucky he had it. Her bitterness toward society and the world drove her into depression, and she was brought into the KGB at age eighteen. Her bitterness grew as her assignments of murder and humiliation continued to grow more heinous. Killing had been a way of life to her, and now she had finally thrown that to the wind.

_I lose my way  
And it's not too long before you point it out  
I cannot cry  
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes  
I'm forced to fake  
A smile, a laugh everyday of my life  
My heart can't possibly break  
When it wasn't even whole to start with_

"Logan?"

A feminine, English accented voice startled him again. He looked up to see a tall, thin, and attractive woman entering his office, flanked by two men from MI6.

"Ms. Powers, what can I do for you?" He motioned for her to sit down, and she smirked discreetly. "Out." She pointed toward the door, indicating that the two thuggish looking men could leave. "This won't take long. You might as well catch a jet back home. I'll be back within three days. Let command know." She sat down and waited for the door to close before continuing. "Thanks for the formality Those two fools were sent to flank me."

"Well, Maggie I must say I'm surprised. You have two men flanking you, and what for? To make sure you don't get shot while in my office building?"

"Command insisted. I have good news and bad. Which do you want to hear first?"

"You know me too well for that question." He sat with his fingers interlaced, and waited for the inevitable.

"Well, I got squadron commander, but I've decided to drop it and work here. Also, the rumors about Aramov are true. She is in Aljir Prison as we speak. She is considered a political prisoner, and was scheduled for execution, but they've postponed that 'til tomorrow night at exactly midnight."

"Great… I've got some scheming to do."

"What are you planning?" She raised an eyebrow at his last statement.

"A breakout."

"What in the bloody hell has convinced you to do that!" Now there was a look of utter astonishment on her face. It was highly unlike him to want to break into some maximum security prison just to rescue a mass murderer.

"What's possessed me? I don't know… I'll need your help with this. Are you with me or not?"

"Oh what the hell. I haven't had any excitement in the past few weeks, so I'll do it."

_Because of you  
I never stay too far from the sidewalk  
Because of you  
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt  
Because of you  
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me  
Because of you  
I am afraid_

The day ended with him and Maggie meeting Uri Gregorav at SVR headquarters in Moscow. From there, they would make their way up to Aljir, a womens gulag that had bee established during the Stalinist purges. It had since then been used for stashing people that were either dangerous or needed. The truck that they were using was armored and had surveillance equipment that began showing footage from the prison as they approached. Several guards were milling about on the monitors, and Uri turned to Logan. "The guards only know that you are here to observe the prisoner's behavior. I will escort you to the cell, and from here Ms. Powers will establish a loop that makesit appear that nothing has happened. We have an image of you walking out alone that we will shoot through the security system as you two are making your escape. Are you ready?"

"It's now or never. Where will you be as I am leaving?"

"What we will do is stick around until it is time for the execution, and remove her as she is scheduled to die. There is a female guard that looks very similar to Aramov. She quit recently, and died due to an overdose. We "obtained" her body, and she will be replacing Mara. You two will escort her to the execution chamber on level five where you will say that in an attempt to stay the execution, she fainted." Maggie turned away from the monitor. "Good luck, Gents."

"I think we'll need it." Gabriel exited the truck as Uri opened the door.

"You are not alone in that thought." Uri then motioned to the guard at the gate to open it. As it creaked and moved, they approached the main entrance. "Now we go."

The prison's interior was a bit warmer than the courtyard. The walls were stained with blood from the last riot when Uri himself was kept here due to Mara's bosses. Gabe's chief of operations, Lian Xing had freed him to obtain data on the virus that Shi Hao, a Chinese ambassador was ready to sell. The guards ignored them for the most part, until they reached the security checkpoint that used to be the laundry. A woman in uniform approached them. She spoke quickly to Uri in traditional Russian:

"Uri Gregorav, what do you want with this prisoner? Surely you wouldn't want to take her place as she would have wanted? Hm?"

"Silence Katya. I escort an American diplomat. He wishes to take part in the prisoner's execution."

"Very well. She will die within an hour." She sneered at the two. They continued down to where her cell block was located. Uri shivered as he walked past execution chamber number two. He had been scheduled to die in that room, and the shattered glass was still there where Lian had shot it to retrieve him. "This is strange, yes?"

"From your perspective, I'd say so." They descended another flight of stairs, and finally came upon a cell that was locked from the outside. Uri slid the card key through the door, and it clicked. The door swung open, revealing a cell with no windows and a cot. The rest of the essentials were obviously given to prisoners when the guards were feeling up to it.

"I must retrieve the guard's body. You stay here and monitor her. I shall return when it is time." Uri left through another hallway, and vanished.

"Mara…" His voice was soft as he approached a woman with skin as white as the walls. Her hair that was usually perfect, despite her occupation, was now just hanging there, dead looking. Her hand was curled into a fist in an effort to keep some feeling iin her fingers, and Gabriel pulled a miniature thermometer from his jacket pocket. "Thirty-two degrees exactly…" She seemed to sense that someone was there, for her body began shaking.

"Calm down… Mara…" It was obvious that she could either not hear him or was just choosing to ignore him. "Mara, do you hear me? Just nod if you can." He was surprised by his tone. It was expected to be harsh, but it was almost fatherly or brotherly. Slowly and tentatively, her head barely moved, only to fall limply and hang dangerously. Gabe reached down and lifted her chin so that they were looking each other in the eyes. Hers were a deep stormy green compared to his grey/blue ones. They also held a strange longing. As he knelt beside her, she barely turned to look at him. She seemed to be able to speak, but her lips moved without sound. He gave her a questioning look, and she indicated the camera above him.

"I have a friend generating a loop. They won't hear or see what we say or do. Do you recognize me at all?"

"No…" Her answer was weak and about as loud as a whisper. "Why do you c-come here now?"

"You know that you were scheduled to be executed, correct?"

"Yes, and?"

"Uri and I have come to stop it."

"Who are you and why the sudden interest?"

_I watched you die  
I heard you cry every night in your sleep  
I was so young  
You should have known better than to lean on me  
You never thought of anyone else  
You just saw your pain  
And now I cry in the middle of the night  
For the same damn thing_

She suddenly looked to the identification that was pinned to his thick jacket. Her eyes widened, and filled with tears. Whether they were of joy or fear, that was to be determined. Her next action decided the answer to his unasked question. She threw her arms around his neck, and amazingly he pulled her closer so that her head rested against his shoulder. It was then that he noticed just how thin and dead she was.

"What have they done…" This was unanswered because at that moment, his cell went off. "Logan."

"It is time. Explain what we are going to do. I already have a spare set of prisoners' clothing. The body is dressed and ready to go."

"Alright. Are you on your way?"

"Yes. I am almost there. I left the body in a discreet area in the chamber on level five. All we have to do is get Mara past security and on level five, place the body in position right before the execution, and wait until it is time. Then we leave as if nothing happened."

"Got it. I'll wait here." He turned to Mara. "We are going to use a stiff in place of you during the execution. Uri knows the layout of this place well enough so that we can stash you somewhere on level five, stick around for the mock execution,and then get you out. Maggie Powers is waiting for us. Do you understand?"

"I think so. I am ready."

"Good." Uri entered. He had on his full uniform, and was wearing an expression of intensity. "We have a clear path to the chamber. I found a discreet way of getting there. We should go."

"Come." Gabriel had one thing that was on his mind. Her. Nobody else was there. Lian and Teresa could manage everything, Lawrence was at the WHO working with them, and the others were buried In paperwork for the next two days.

_Because of you  
I never stay too far from the sidewalk  
Because of you  
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt  
Because of you  
I try my hardest just to forget everything  
Because of you  
I don't know how to let anyone else in  
Because of you  
I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty  
Because of you  
I am afraid_

They approached a dark room that was full of circuit breakers. Uri turned to Mara with an unreadable expression. "Remain here. The guards will not be here to pull the lever that would send the electrical pulses. I will. We will return when they successfully bring the body out. Then we can get out of this hellhole."

"There's more. I've managed to plant explosives around the execution chambers. That will permanently shut them down. We will have them blow when the guards are nowhere near them." Maggie's voice came through on an earpiece Gabriel was wearing. "Logan, don't screw this up. I know what will happen if you fail."

"Copy." They left to enter the next room where Uri and Logan noticed there were guards near. He lifted the ex-guard into his arms, and placed her in the chair. The guards bound her.

"Uri, why does she not move?" One asked quietly in Russian.

"She fainted on her way here. She said that she didn't want to feel the pain, so I suppose she has gotten her wish?" Uri and Gabe exchanged looks, and he entered the control room. "I am ready in here."

"Pull it."

The current shot through the dead body, causing a liquid that looked like blood to leak from her mouth. After a few moments, the guard took her pulse, and confirmed the death. "We have succeeded."

"Excellent." Uri turned to leave and was flanked by Logan. The woman looked almost like Mara's twin, and it seemed too real when the blood leaked out. They quickly returned to the breaker room, escorted a now silent Aramov out of the prison, and finally out through the main gate. Maggie disabled the video loop, and shut down the main monitors, leaving one on to view the death chambers.

"Any moment now, we'll blow the damned things. The electric circuits will overload, and there can be some peace up here."

"Excellent. Good work." Logan and Uri had finally secured themselves, and were driving off.

"Now." She pressed a detonation switch's lever, and a dull explosion could be heard. They drove away from the prison's grounds, and Mara turned to face the man who had risked his diplomacy just now. "Why?"

"Why what?" He said this with a bit of a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. She gave him a piercing stare for all of a second, and asked an extended version of that previous question. "Why did you risk your career and your diplomatic record to stop my death from occurring?"

"Because my paradox of a brain told me to." He said this with mock finality, and she saw right through it.

"In all seriousness."

"Because of you."

**_A/N:_** Damn.. I didn't think it was possible to actually type ten pages of stuff just to post on the internet. I've really outdone myself. Anyway, I just wanted to say this.

**_Disclaimer:_** I own no characters or the song used in this fic. If I did, I'd be filthy rich! Now the site requires these things so I didn't want this deleted. Thanks for readin' and plz review! Flames accepted.

**_Note:_** NO SEQUAL! ONE SHOT ONLY!!!


End file.
